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Message: <blockquote data-quote="roguerouge" data-source="post: 4495386" data-attributes="member: 13855">Yes, I've read the entire adventure series. We differ as to its merits and demerits. I think the key distinction between our approaches here is that I look at all of her actions as a part of building a villain the PCs come to hate, despite necessarily limited face time with them. I place less emphasis on the combat capability of the villain in the final fight, because I want the PCs emotional reaction to the villain to be primary. After all, the PCs are supposed to win after having been challenged while doing so. It's interesting to read posts from your different perspective, which allows me to better prep things for it, so I thank you for that.[SPOILERS]First off,  a factual correction: the final encounter includes 3 dread wraiths and 6 false Ileosas; while the wraiths may or may not be sent off, she does have minions in the final battle. Second, I call starting with a greater dispel magic followed by quickened charm monster DC 27 for the first three rounds a way to make PCs minions. Not to mention that she can pull off Bardic music, a spell, and that quickened charm in every round. Third, any villain that is on screen yet virtually immune to unthinking PC violence for 15 levels due to social position and personal power has done a bang up job in my book. Fourth, there's a long thread on the assassination attempt on the Paizo boards. I suggest the OP read it for excellent advice on how to handle it. It's not "plot immunity" and it's not really hard to adjudicate in RL. Fifth, how Paizo justifies the presence of minions in other adventure paths is irrelevant; her social position, infernal connections, and skills make them utterly justified here. Sixth, her personal charisma attracts one of the best fighters in the city, who then solidifies her control over her brain-washed guard. That's a win. But her position helps too. There's a riot in the city... which the military helps her quell, because they have to. The military helps with the quarantine. They follow orders for long enough. The aristocracy are not a factor, when they could be. The clergy of Abadar and Asmodeus both end up helping her. Why bother winning friends when you can influence people anyway? Seventh, the plague is a genocide as she seeks to redecorate the city by eliminating those of Varisian blood, the Shoanti, and the poor.Eighth, yes, they acquire solid proof at the end of the second adventure. But who are they going to turn it in to? And it's at that moment that the Queen's personal bad-assery is revealed second-hand through the assassination attempt. Makes running a revolution with half the military dead or on quarantine duty kind of difficult for Cressida and the PCs. Especially since the Iron Maidens are the Queen's personal army. So... it's off to find the Seneschal and try to work within the system. Again, it fits together well and the villain is run smartly. That the PCs make things fall apart while the Queen is at her extremely important spa appointment is not a sign of a bad or stupid villain. [/SPOILERS]And remember, I like Runelords to... Karzoug's just not my kind of villain; evidently we've given the OP a good taste of the distinctions between the two.</blockquote>

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